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Murphy Yomen Sigmon entered the workforce at the age of fourteen and held a variety of jobs in North Carolina industries before a mill shutdown ended his long working life. He began his laboring life in a shoelace factory, held a number of positions in a cotton mill, ran his own sock-making outfit, worked in a hosiery mill, and at the time of the interview, was dabbling in furniture-making out of a home workshop. In this interview, Sigmon describes these experiences, from taking swimming breaks while working as a doffer in a cotton mill, struggling to find work during the Great Depression, or enlisting his wife to help him start a sock-making business. Most of this interview addresses the details of the mill as a workplace, but the interviewer does take some time to ask Sigmon his opinions on subjects such as unions and social stratification among southern laborers.

Starting work as a child and leaving upon discovery

Coping with the Great Depression

Moviegoing in Hickory, North Carolina

Sigmon's work at the cotton mill, including doffing and fixing spinning frames

The eight-hour workday limits fun on the job

Cotton mill work branded workers with low social status

The Great Depression and industry movement overseas hurts the local economy

Assessing the impact of unions on worker pay and treatment

Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection

Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews

North Carolina--Politics and government

Textile workers--North Carolina

Trade-unions--Textile workers--North Carolina